The kingdom of Thailand's government type is a constitutional monarchy. King Phumiphon signed the present constitution that Thailand goes by in 1997. Thailand's monarchy representatives are elected from the 76 provinces. Thailand's government consists of three branches, Executive branch, Legislative branch, and judicial branch.

In the Executive branch members are not elected. As for the Prime Minister the leader that can organize a majority union between political parties becomes the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister gets chosen from the members of the House of Representatives. The Prime Minister is considered the nerve. The present Prime Minister is Thaksin Chinnawat. The Deputy Prime Minister is Chawalit Yongchaiyut.

The public votes for other members. Thailand gives the women the right to vote and elect. The age of suffrage is 18. The legislative branch consists of the senate and the House of Representatives. The judicial branch is the court or what is called in Thailand Sandika. Thailand's government has several democratic parties: 2 Democratic parties, National Development party, New Aspiration party, Phalang Dharma party, Social Action party, Solidarity Party, The Citizen's Party, Thai Nation Party, Thai Rak Thai Party. Thailand's legal system is based on civil law system with common law influences.

Thailand has a great deal of natural resources. They are mainly located in Bangkok. Natural resources are considered primary exports they are very important. Thailand's natural resources are: tin, rubber, natural gas tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land. Agricultural resources such as: rice, tapioca, rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans are also considered from Thailand's natural resources. Thailand has signed several trade agreements such as the trade agreement with Laos in 1978 and, a 4-year agreement with the EEC in 1986 for 21 million tons of tapioca.

Thailand has various religions. 95% of Thais are Buddhists, 3.8% are Muslims, 0.5% is Christian, 0.1% is Hindus and 0.6% has other religions. The good thing is that there had not been reported problems between people with different religions. Also in Thailand there are many Ethnic groups but two main ones. Thai percentage is 75% Thai, 14% Chinese, and 11% other small ethnic groups

Thailand got most of its cultural traditions from Malaysia being it's bordering country. Buddhists and Muslims came through the Andaman Sea and the gulf of Thailand. Buddhists came from Nakhon Sea Thammarat a region from the past. Muslims came from the former sultanate of Panani bordering Malaysia.

Thailand's military is fairly large compared to its population. It has a total of 17,717,268 soldiers in the military overall. There are three types of militaries in Thailand: Royal Thai army, Royal Thai Navy, Royal Thai Air Force, and Paramilitary Forces.

The Prime Minister rules all these branches. When a male reaches the age of 18 he is forced to join the military. The age of military attendance begins at 15 and ends at 49. That doesn't mean that a Thai has to serve for all 34 years, but that no one can attend military before 15 or after 49. The Calculated military expenses for the year 2000 went up to ~1.775 billion dollars. Thailand had been supported by military aid from the United States since World War Two. Although Thailand had improved its military power the United States supports it.

Thailand has a membership in many alliances. These International organizations are: APEC, ARF, ASDB, ASEAN, BIS, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAG, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, 1DA, IFAD, TFC, IFRCSI IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsaf Interpol, MC, 1OM, ISO, ITU, NAM, GAS, O1S, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNTKOM, UNTTAR, UNMIBH, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WLPO, WMO, WtoO, WtrO. In the OAS Thailand is an observer, in the OIS it's an observer, the OPCW it's a signatory, and in the OSCE it's a partner. In all the other organizations Thailand is only a member.

The Kingdom of Thailand is located in Southeastern Asia bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. It's Geographic coordinates are 15 00 N, 100 degrees E. Thailand's bordering countries are Burma southeast of Thailand, Laos's southwest of Thailand, and Cambodia northeast of Thailand. Parts of the border with Laos and Cambodia are considered indefinite. Thailand's total area is 514,00-sq. km.

Thailand' s coastline is 3,219 km. The lowest point in Thailand is the Gulf of Thailand with 0 m, the highest point is Dointhanon 2576 m. The land use is divided like this: 34% arable land, 26% forests and woodland, 6% permanent crops, 2% permanent pastures, and 32% other.

Thailand's views on the Middle East crises are not much. Some Thai people went on strikes from time to time supporting Palestine. Other than that the government had no taken an official step towards its views on the crises. Although they can say they support Palestine somehow. The Government had stated, "We stand by international law, but we should support any one side. We should avoid conflict with countries in the Middle East and religious problems.

Thailand had not discussed anything that salted that it supports the US against terrorists after the September 11 attack. The foreign minister took the action of evacuating any Thais living near Afghanistan and the Middle East. Evacuation actions are being reviewed to evacuate any Thais from Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. Which Thailand states can be targets put by the United States. Thailand wants the UN to deal with Terrorists and advises US to have evidence before taking any actions.

From the year 1985 to 1995 Thailand experienced the world's highest growth rate of about 9% annually. In 1997 the government was forced to lower the Baht Thailand's currency) and it went from 25 bahts per US dollar to about 31 Bahts to the dollar. The Baht reached its lowest point of about 56 Bahts per dollar in 1998. In that same year the economy went down by about 10.2%. Due to strong exports Thailand recovered by 2000 by increasing 20%. In present days a dollar is about 43 Bahts.

Good export products such as computers and parts, textiles, integrated circuits, and rice. Exports give an income of about 68.2 billion dollars per year. Imports give an income of about 61.8 billion dollars annually. Imports that Thailand gets are: capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods and fuels. The action of importing and exporting goods is known as trading. Thailand's has about 7 export partners and 6 import partners. Japan is considered Thailand's no. 1 trade partner, then come the US and then the other countries. Although Thailand's economy is somehow good it gets economic aid of about $13 1.5 dollars (i 998).

Thailand is a minor producer of drugs. All kinds of drugs are planted and exported in Thailand. The drug business gives a lot to Thailand's economy. The government does not support drugs and have sentenced to end this problem. The truth is that the government denies drugs but it doesn't wish for it to stop or even to try to stop it. The no. 1 consumer of drugs in Thailand is Japan.

Thailand long ago was named Sukhothai. The first Real Kingdom of Thailand was first established in 1238, but Thais are much older. This first real kingdom was Sukhhothai. At that time King Ramkamheang ruled and Sukhothai expanded greatly.

By 1438 Sukhothai became a deserted city due to all the expanding. After expanding it was conquered and came to be known as Ayutthaya. It became the most powerful country in Asia. Through out a long period Ayautthaya had many problems with bordering countries especially Burma. Also it had problems with Portugal trying to rule it. There was an end to the great kingdoms of Sukhothai an Ayutthaya and the Kingdom of Thailand showed up after much conflict and greed from neighboring countries. The Thais are Mongolian and most of them came from China and Malaysia and settled afterwards in Thailand.

POLICY STATEMENTS

Terror is a word that had been used a lot lately. Terror is a kind of fear that is done by destruction cruelty. Terrorism is an action done to achieve a political goal. It is done in such cruel and uncaring way. Terrorism leads to destruction hate and no peace in the world. Sadly people define terrorism in such wrong way. They are being racists when dealing with terrorist and defaming it and blaming them unmercifully.

Terror became a phenomenon alter the September 11" attacks. After that nearly every country had it's own definition towards terror. Thailand defined terrorism by two slightly different ways. The Thai Muslims considered Israel the number one terrorist in the world, and accused the United States by supporting them. They define the accused hijackers of the September 11th attack to be somehow terrorists, but still it was a good moral lesson for the United States.

Thai Muslims also supported Palestinian suicide bombings. As for the Thai Government in general they think that the September 11 attacks was a 100% act of terrors. They think that both Palestine and Israel contributed to terrorist attacks. The government also thinks that suicide bombers are considered terrorists, and that both sides had an affect on those bombers to do their actions. Thailand thinks that religious Muslims or students that study in religious universities or schools are considered normal people like everyone else. They don't think of them as terrorists at all. What they thing is that no nation can live with terrorists.

The issue of Palestine the Middle East Conflict had been going on for more than 50 years. It all started when the Israeli refugees that didn't have any land to live on invaded Palestine and took over more than half Palestine. The Palestinians long had defended themselves but where weak in front of Israel. When Palestinians had agreed on less than half of their land another problem came up. Israel conquered more lands and destroyed them and then withdrawal. Recently, Israel conquered lands again and it surrounded the Palestinian leader and had excluded him. Lately after violence attacks and killing of innocent people Israel had finally withdrawal.

Thailand does not support any side Palestine nor Israel. What they support is peace and harmony. They support an independent Palestinian State and Jewish state. They care for a good future for both Israelis and Palestinians. Thailand also thinks that all the people who went the best for Palestine should go against Islamic groups such as Al Aqsa, Hezbolla, Hamas, Islamic jihad, and all the people that want the destruction of Israel. In order to achieve peace Arafat must stop support Islamic groups and suicide bombers in all areas. Thailand urges Arab leaders to help the Palestinians to find peace and attack terror. They need Israel to be a neighbor not an enemy. After all Palestinians deserve peace and opportunity and a better government for them. Thailand thinks by doing that the Middle East conflict will be sealed forever.

Drugs are a serious problem worldwide. Although some poor countries benefit a lot from drugs it had caused a serious problem. Drugs can come in different ways tablets, pills, shots, powder, but the result is one, destruction. Drugs make a problem for the addict and the distributors. It brings instability and trouble to the person. Drugs destroy the brain and can lead to killing and stealing and doing all kinds of crimes. The reason it gets people attention is that they think it brings for them happiness, calmness, and the feeling of freedom. Although some criminals support drugs financially, they go through serious problems through it.

Thailand is full of drug dealers and consumers. Generally Thailand is against drugs. In spite of that the government secretly supports it because it brings a fortune to Thailand. Drugs had been a very strong influence on Thailand economy. In spite of that it had suffered from serious problems behind drugs. In Thailand there are lands for growing drugs, drug dealers and drug addicts, and consumers, and the number one consumer of drugs in Thailand is Japan Although drugs had brought in a fortune there had been arranged some campaigns against drugs. The drug situation in Thailand is pathetic. Police catch people involved with drugs weekly. The latest capture was a major distributor woman in Bangkok. They found in her house 8.17 million bahts (about 190,000$), and 1,000 drug pills.

Minorities in a country are a small percent of one kind of people living in one country. One example of minorities is Arabs in the United States. Usually minorities in a country don't have as much right has the normal people in a country. Also sometimes they are excluded and thought to be different.

Thailand is with minorities and it supports its rights. At first Thailand did not care about some minority ethnic groups but later on they considered them. Now, all the rights that are given to normal citizens are also given to normal citizens. These rights apply to all citizens within the territory of Thailand. Thailand's government does not differ between people by race, color, sex, language, religion, opinions, national or social origin, property, or birth.